In approximately 20 days I will begin my 27th year of teaching Child Development. I began as a young 33 year-old mother of two who knew very little, but had great passion for teaching. Since then I've grown into an older mother of three and Nana to one, who still knows very little, but has great passion.
I'm one of the lucky ones. I've spent the last 27 years doing exactly what I wanted to do with the people I wanted to do it with. Our Child Development department at Grossmont College simply can't be matched. Both our full-time and part-time staff have stood strong in their beliefs that all children deserve a chance for happiness, for opportunities, and for environments in which they can grow and flourish. We have all graciously supported each other in working toward these goals. Our priority is, and always will be, children.
In my Child Development classes, I strive to help students understand the why, the how, and the when of human development. We discuss theories, stages, and milestones of development. Great emphasis is placed on the influence of family and culture. We read from texts, view videos and films, discuss articles, and listen to each others experiences. We, hopefully, become a community of learners - even in online classes.
What doesn't come from the books, however, is what is most important. That is, for students to understand the necessity for each child we teach, bear, or influence to know that he or she is loved unconditionally. The most important achievement in the first years is attachment. Without the sense that they are safe, protected, nourished, connected, and valued by a big person, children cannot thrive. Absence of this connection affects literally every domain of development. When security is threatened, a child cannot feel safe to explore his world; therefore, learning is limited. When there is no evidence of constant love, a child cannot see himself as valued. When attempts to move about and manage his world are not allowed, he questions his abilities. The strongest foundation requires these things and every child is entitled to them.
The books might tell us why these things are important, and perhaps, even the strategies that might support them. They don't, however, provide the desire to do so. Learning comes with responsibility. Students who are fortunate enough to take Child Development classes, need to leave them with a commitment to apply their new understandings and to strive to make the world better for our children. We all have that obligation. It may be as simple as understanding that some "misbehaviors" are just behaviors and require teaching, not punishment. Or, that development in some stages is difficult and may require sensitivity and support, rather than ridicule or embarrassment. Everything learned in a Child Development class can be applied. That's why they're the best classes you'll ever take.
To my students I say - come to class with an enthusiastic desire to learn, then apply what you've learned. It might just make a huge difference in the life of a child. There is no greater legacy.